Letter to Applicants
Mortar Board is the University of Nebraska’s only national senior honor society - we are an association of collegians selected for distinguished ability in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, and Service. Beginning as the Secret Order of the Black Masque at UNL in 1908, our organization has a long and proud history on this campus and not long before its roots were planted, we joined the Mortar Board national organization in 1927. Mortar Board was founded on February 15th, 1918, at Syracuse University and has since grown to include over 200 chartered chapters and 200,000 alumni. While it is an immense honor to be selected for membership in Mortar Board, it is our continued commitment to Scholarship, Leadership, and Service that differentiates Mortar Board from other honoraries and honor societies. In our recent history, Mortar Board has hosted numerous activities including honoring individuals who have made a difference in our lives through our “People Who Inspire” banquet and recognizing Nebraska’s most outstanding educators through our “Professor of the Month” award program. Mortar Board also participates in the RSO competition during Homecoming week and members volunteer weekly at Clinton Elementary as a part of our national "Reading Is Leading" initiative. As a member of Mortar Board, you will take part in a variety of activities such as these while you celebrate three years of hard work with an outstanding group of individuals.
The following qualifications are required to apply:
- Must be graduating within the 2025-2026 school year
- Minimum 3.3 GPA or higher
We are now in the process of selecting members for 2025; to apply, please complete the following online form. The Mortar Board application has multiple parts, so please follow these directions to ensure you complete the entire process:
- Fill out your "Basic Information" on the online form.
- You will need one letter of recommendation; have your reference email your recommendation letter to mbselections2025@gmail.com and they will receive a confirmation email following their submission.
- Upload your resume, three essays, description of creative project, and Spring 2025 schedule to the online form.
- Email your confidential preference form to studentaffairs@unl.edu (only applicable to those applying to multiple honor societies).
- Physically turn in your creative project at the Union on January 24th, 2025 anytime between 8AM - 4PM.
Essay Questions: (Limit: one page each, double-spaced, 11 pt. Times New Roman font)
- Tell us about someone or something that inspires you.
- Tell us about something you've changed your mind about since beginning college.
- Tell us one song we should listen to while reading your application and explain why this song is meaningful to you.
- Are there any extenuating circumstances or aspects of your identity that were not covered in the application? (Optional- Leaving this portion blank will not negatively affect your application)
Creative Project:
Design a creative project that represents who you are. In addition, upload a one-page essay describing why the project represents you. Please keep the project smaller than a piece of carry-on luggage and less than 50 pounds in weight; also ensure that the project can be viewed in less than one minute. The project may be dropped off in the Chimney Rock room (second floor of the Union) on January 24th, 2025 from 8AM - 4PM. (Note: projects will not be returned until later in the semester.)
ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS ARE DUE BY JAN. 24th AT 4PM.
Apply to Mortar Board
If you have any questions about Mortar Board or the application process, please contact our Selections Chairs - Tori Cocannouer, Tenley Katt, Erin Case, and Victoria Chin - at the following email: mbselections2025@gmail.com.